US company Web Vision Technologies has been awarded a grant to finalise the development of two new devices for NASA designed to monitor the vision health of astronauts during deep space missions.
For years, scientists have known the human body, especially our eyes, suffer in the microgravity environment of space. Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) is used to describe vision-related issues for astronauts on long-duration spaceflights, viewed by NASA as a significant problem which must be addressed before astronauts can be sent on deep space exploration missions.
Web Vision’s first device is described by the company as a “very compact, self-imaging retinal camera that will allow astronauts to take an image of their retina so doctors on the ground can look for signs of SANS and monitor its progression”. Its second device is a specially-designed goggle-based headset to allow astronauts to test the functionality of their visual field, along with other vision tests, which again can be fed back to earth.
Both technologies will provide NASA scientists with the information they need to detect and monitor SANS progression and guide medical interventions for astronauts while still in space, said the company.
"We are excited to be working with NASA on these two very important vision testing devices," said Bob Main, CEO Web Vision Technologies, in a press statement. "We are passionate about helping the space programme achieve their goal of returning to the moon and putting humans on Mars and we are confident that the team we have put together will be able to deliver the technology that NASA needs to help monitor and find a solution to the SANS vision issue affecting astronauts on long duration flights. We are also grateful to TRISH for supplying the funding necessary to develop this technology and many more in the future."
